Pneumatic shoe sole



PNEUMATIC SHOE SOLE Filed Nov. 29. 1926 Patented' Aug. 16, 1927.

GEORGE MANELAS, F HABBISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

`' PNEUMATICI SHOE SOLE.

Application ledovemberS, Q26. Serial No. 151,534.

This invention relates to pneumatic' soles for shoes, and specifically to a pneumatic sole which may be detachably secured 1n position to cover the leather outer sole and heel of a shoe, and which may easily be removed as desired.

Briefly, the invention comprehends the provisionof a pneumatic sole which may be manufactured in various widths and lengths, dependentupon the dimensions of the leather outer sole and heel to which .it

l is to be applied.' The detachable pneumatic sole is provided with a recess adapted .to e1nbracethe heel of the shoe, and with instru- A inentalities,I facilitating the operation of applying the pneumatic sole in its operative position around the leather heel and sole, and of removing it therefrom.

The primary object of the invention therefore, is the provision of a commerciali practicable pneumatic sole or cushion whic 1 may be applied to the ordinary heel andv outer sole of a shoe, and including means facilitating the attachment and detachment operative position.

'Other objects of the invention will -b e made apparent in the accompanying specification, whenv read in connection with the drawings forming a part thereof.

ln said drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a shoe, having applied thereto the pneumatic .sole forming the subject matter of my invention, the pneumatic sole being shown in' longitudinal cross-section.

Fig. 2 ris a perspective View of the pneumatic sole partly broken awayl Fig. 3 is a lateral cross section of the.

shoe and pneumatic sole on the line 3 3 of Fim 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in section, of one of the resilient connectors in` a wire which holds'the pneumatic, sole in operative position, and,

` Fig. 5 is a perspective View Vof a 'plate which assists in retaining the pneumatic sole in position. y .y .f

Now referring specicall to the drawings, in which like reference c aracters indicate spring metal.

of said pneumatic sole intoV and from itsv like parts throughout the several views, A is an ordinary slice, equipped with the usual heel portion 1, and the customary outer leather sole 2. It is to be noted that in all heavy` walking shoes of the present day type, the outer sole of the shoe projects beyond the upper portion A, the 'latter being curved downward and 'inwardly at its )uncture with the heel and sole, to forni a groove 3, extending entirely around the shoe'. 60 Into this groove 3 is applied the device which4 assists in retaining the pneumatic sole in position, as will hereinafter appear. The pneumatic sole B is best illustrated in Fig. 2, comprising a hollow body of fieri` ible rubber, having the general contour of a shoe sole, and provided at its top edge with a bead 4, in which is positioned a wire 5 of The sole B is formed with a heel-shaped cavity 6 at the rear end, said 70 cavity` being deined by a step 7, integral ...with the flat portion 8, shaped to coincide with the bottom surface of the leather sole 2 of the shoe.

The wire 5 extends entireiy around the 75 sole B, within the bead 4, but, to permit easy attachment of the sole B to thesole 2, the wire 5 is formed in two sections 5EL and 5b, and flexible connectors C are provided on each side of said wire, said connectors being best shown in Fig. 4. The connectors C are identical, comprising an elongated me- 'tallic shell 9, one end of the shell being iiiteriorlyy screw-threaded to receive a hollow plug 10 through which section 5a of the wire S5 extendsgaa head 11 being secured to the end foft said section 5, to retain the latter in ffl/position.. The end of the section 5l of the [wire extends through an aperture in the opposite end of the shell 9, and carries a'90 head 12 which is slidable within the shell 9, and a coiled spring 13 encirclesithe section 5b and tends at al1 times to force the head 12 towards the bead 11, and to thereby decrease i the length of the area encircled by the wire 5, as will be understood. It is clear that, when the toe portion of the sole B is placed over the toe portion of the: sole-2, a reai-. ward pull on the heel portion of the sole B will cause the head A12 4to move away from 100 groove 3.

the head 11 (see liligfi) and elongate the wire 5 and' the sole B, theiierihili'v of the ing the sole B "so the'sole 2, eemprises the plaie 14 of ihm. spring; meie having ai.

each end a pair of upwardly exemlie? fmgere l5 adapted te. grasp che "Wire e, as shown in Figs. 2 aii e. lli. will he enfierf stood thatithe plate Hi extends en top and transversely oi? the ai; pertiori 8' ehe sele B, directly arljacerit he step i se ihm., when the sole B is in operative pesiioe, the rear edge of the 'plate will. be near the from; face of the heel 1 oi' the shoe, and .under ehe v instep of the wearer; As 'the heel peri-ieri oi the Sole B is snapped over 'the heel i, hv Jche method` heretofore described, the *fournie i upper emls '15, of the sprl iiieia lngere i5, will snap over che projecting parisiens efiche shoe sole 2,.ar1d imo the groove 3, as will, he ele-ar. El; will therefore he ehvieus i; the utilization of he resiiient connecter il?, aii the plate i4, equipped, Wiahfhe spring fingers i5, rich only permit of emperaiy ew largement eiv the area cireun'iecriloed by the Wire 5, 'eeilitaviiig applicati@ of the sole B to operative posieien, bei; aise operaie io auematieally and; rieteehahiy ieck "che sole in said position. Maiiiieetly the sole B may he detached by a downward and rearward pu'll ron the heel portion. The downward pall releases the grasp of the lingers l5 on' ihe erige ef the Sole l, and the rear 6. pull elongai'ee the Wire 5 sothai, he heel portier] 'thereof may easily he slipped out er ishe The connectors C and the lingers 15 are oi ample strengh to retain the .Sele B in posion under ordinary circumstances. if cleeirecl Jhe lower surface oi ehe Sele l may he oi thick rubber to increase its Wear, and may he 'provided "with antieli'fofiing cee-- rugatione 16,. and the sole B utilized as Waterprooii sandal'.

The sole B is provided ai; some convenient point, here shown ai; if?, 'Wih .Yalvaooiitrollerl pori; no permit imia'ion or defla'ieu.

From 'the foregoing ii; is obvious haru l l have provided a piieixiiietic eo'le 1 may he quickly and eesily atraehed. nary sole of shoe, and which isequipped Wih iiistrumentalities adapte'i o ret-ain it in operative posiiioii minier ordinary circumstzileces, bui: which are readiiy yielclahle to a peil iniemlecl @o remove he The ilete me orde ,form suhsamially to the outlines' of iii; into the groeve 'leimccl vices may he mae up in regular .si sizes and styles, arid applieci te shoes, hee gaiers 'or vslippers y'f' any changea; or alterations whatsoever. They are i cially useful 'te persons vf'iose Worir heee taies continuous 'walking er siam-ii.: i, he unclersi-oo.,

Modifications oi' the structure herein e scribed and illustrated may ne suggested 'lie those slcilled iii the art, het my investis/i covers all embocimenss falling iiaifcly Wihii the scope of the appended claims.

llhat claim is:

i. il. removahie pneumatic sole for or the like, comprising a ieiilo'le sh eli oi impervious material. initially shaped; if, coiisole, e hollow heaii iormeri eri iilie 'upper periphery of said shell, and a i carried in saicl heeel. 2. removable pria l or the like, Comprisiiig;A imper'vieus maerial iiiiizial ferm substantially io he to .which itis le he applied, and a Hf Wirecam'ieri by Lhe upper peri?)1 shell Fieri o' iii', inte formed hete the and iipgerporion of Said sliee.

i remevahle pneemanie sol c i. .l or 'lie like, comprising a rihle .'i." iti., y fhapecl to conform siicse the euline of a shoe to which applied, a @5o-section Wire carrie ripper periphery oi seid shell miel e j ro iii; inte the groovev formeel heweei sole and upper portion oi eairl. sine,

means yielclably oon'necbirigg the awo secr-iles of said Wire togeher, subsizaiiiiaiA scribed.

e. A removable pneumaie eole for or Jthe like, comprising a flexible shell iw itiaily shaped to conform sebsteiitily ro rthe outline of a shoe Lo which it is ro epi plied, a Wire carrieel by the upper peri, hery of seirl shell, ami a este" L iransyersely across sairl shell anni provid i at each encl Wih flexible finger ariajtoee &0 embrace said Wire.

5. A removable `pneun'iatic or the like. compisiiigi e iiexihie itinlly #shaped so nonfarm the outline o" a Shoe. to Whieh it plied, e twoeeciioii AWire Carrie-ri zhe per peri phery or .or ion of in; ir, im lioly shaped to ihe c r; of the .sole si a shoe, a twoecibifm Wire c.. i'ieffi by. the upper periphery ai ehe heey,

mman

m mam wire.' Si. gommati@ soi@ far shees, compus- P am inflatable body Shaped @o the contour tions of sid wire, in combination .with a mms extending transversely of said body :m ovided with fiexibie members con- 10 necte to smrmunding said Wire on. each side me thabC'dy.

GEGRGE MAN fammes. 

